Differential mechanism.



S. S. BENNETT.

DIFFERENTIAL MECHANISM.

APPucMwn man mn. 4. i915.

1,21 1,661 Patented Jan. 9,1917.

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STEPHEN S. BENNETT, 0F HIGHLAND PARK, MICHIGAN.

DIFFERENTIAL MECHANISIVI.

Speccaton of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 9, 191'?.

Application led March 1915. Serial No.r 12,0811.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, STEPHEN S. BENNETT, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Highland Park, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Differential Mechanisms, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying dra-wings.

lThis invention relates to a differential for automobiles and other motor driven vehicles, and the primary object of my invention is to provide simple and elfective means, in a manner as hereinafter set forth for releasing a drivenwheel of a vehicle whereby it can freely revolve relative to the-other wheels of ave'hicle, particularly when the vehicle is-making a sharp turn.

Another object of the invention is to provide the hubs of the driven wheels of a vehicle with automatically operated clutches that control lthe operation of the wheels relative to an axle or vdriven shaft.

A further object of this invention is tov provide a strong, durable' and inexpensive differential that is applicable to various types of automobile and highly efficient for increasing the road worthiness ofthe same, the differential being located whereby easy access can be had to the same for installation, repair and lubricating purposes.

The above and other objects are attained by a mechanical construction that will be hereinafter specifically described and then claimed, and reference will now be had to the drawings, whereine- Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the differential; Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view of the same, and Fig. 3 is a similar view illustrating a slight modification of the invention.

In describing my invention by aid of the views above referred to, I desire to point out that the same are intended as merely.

illustrative of an example whereby my invention may be applied in practice, and I do not care to confine myself to the precise construction and arrangement of parts shown. rlhe following description is therefore to be broadly construed as including substitute constructions and arrangements of parts which are the obvious equivalent of those to be hereinafter referred to.

In the drawing, 1 denotes a driven axle in the tubular axle casing 2 and on the end of 'said casing are roller bearings 3 for the hub 4: of a brake drum 5. vEngaging' the inner side of the brake drum 5 is a circular yhead 6 secured to the tubular axle casing, kas at 7, and secured to the outer side of the brake drum by bolts 8, nuts9 or other fasteningmeans is a circular bearing member 10hav1ng a hub 11 extending into the tubu- `lar axle casing 2 around the' axle 1. Adjacent to the periphery of the bearing member 10 1s a rim 12 which is exteriorly screwthreaded and concentric of said rim and of kgreater depth is an lannular flange 13, conthereon is a head 16 retained in place by a nut 17 or other fastening means on the stem or bolt 15. The head 16 has diametrically yopposed sets of radiating lugs 18 and pivotally mounted between the lugs of each set by a bolt 19, a nut 2O or other pivotal means is a link 21. The head 16 is cut away or grooved, as at 22 to provide clearance for the heads of the bolts 19, as best shown in Fig. 1.

Pivotally connected to the outer ends of the links 21 by bolts 23, nuts 24 or other pivotal means are sets of inwardly projecting apertured lugs 25 carried by semi-circular or segment channel shoes 26 constituting clutch members. The channel 27 of each shoe receives the annular iange 13 and the peripheries of the shoe have grooves 28 for a retaining ring 29.

The bolts 8 or the fastening means of the bearing member 10 pass through the spokes 30 or the web of a vehicle wheel, and since the axle 1 is of the full floating type, the wheel is free to revolve when the axle 1 is stationary. Assuming that power is applied to the axle, the shoes or clutch members 26 are canted or tilted to that extent as to frictionally grip the clutch member 13 of the wheel, causing rotative continuity between the wheel and the axle 1. It is through the medium of the clutch members that one wheel of the vehicle can be driven independent of the other wheel, and to render the differential mechanism dust-proof and yet permit of easy access being had to the same, a cap 31 is screwed upon the rim 12.

In Fig. 3 of the drawings, there is illustrated a4 slight modication of the invention, Wherein a plurality of shoes or clutch members 32 are employed in lieu of the opposed clutch members shown in Figs. l andstrains upon the driving mechanism and, powerplantofan automobile.,v By placingthe differential mechanism-in proximity to.- the Wheels, it ispossible tof use a one-piece` axle and this axle may be of .thesemi-floatf,

ing or any other-desirable type.

What I claim is c 1. In a diierential mechanism, .a :driven axle, ya Wheel free to-revolve thereon, a

bearing member connected to said Wheel,- an

of said-annularfflangeand innerfwalls With in the areaI of. said annularange, and

means on the end of said axle confined be'- tWeen planesV representingthe Width of said shoes and connected to the inner Walls of saidl shoes adapted to shift the outer Walls of said shoes on to the periphery of said flangeiand cause a clutching action v'between said` axle and. said Wheel.

2. In a differential mechanism, a driven axle, a Wheel free to revolve thereon, a bearing member connected to said Wheel, an

annular flange carried by said. bearing Ymemf ber; concentric .of1said axle, channeleshoes-lV adapted tobe shifted-inWardlytofrictions.w

.ally Aengggage the periphery of said .flangev a Vretaining ring'lengaging the outerffsides.-

Y ofsaid channel,shoes,44 a cap.-Connected;V to, .said bearingrzmember, and means Amountedr upon the end of said axle confined between planesrepresenting thewidth of` .said shoes and connectedto; said shoes adaptedito shiftV said shoes ontothe periphery-of. said- .Hanger 4 axle and said Wheel..q.

v and cause. a clutching lactiona between said In testimony WhereoI atlixlfmy.signature` in presence ofV two Witnesses. outstanding annular iangeadjacent the pe riphery of the bearing member, channel shoes having outer, Walls at Lthe periphery g Witnesses:V

ANNA M. Donn, v. KARL H. BUTLER..

Gopies of this patent may beobtainedfor ve.c,ents each, by addressing theCommissionervpf Patents, Y y

Washington, D. C. 

